Abbott BinaxNow Covid 19 Tests

[rgreenba]

If anyone has used the Abbott BinaxNow Covid Test that Celebrity recommends, please tell me about your experience?  Are the medical proctors available 24/7 or only during certain hours.  If you experienced any difficulties with the process, I would appreciate hearing about it.  Someone posted that they were disconnected during the testing procedure and the test was invalidated.  Do you recommend purchasing an extra test in the event problems arise?

[Honolulu Blue]

5 minutes ago, rgreenba said:

If anyone has used the Abbott BinaxNow Covid Test that Celebrity recommends, please tell me about your experience?  Are the medical proctors available 24/7 or only during certain hours.  If you experienced any difficulties with the process, I would appreciate hearing about it.  Someone posted that they were disconnected during the testing procedure and the test was invalidated.  Do you recommend purchasing an extra test in the event problems arise?

 

I've done this test three times.  The experience was about as easy and pain-free as testing gets, IMHO.  Proctors are available 24/7.  I didn't have any significant difficulties, but I've heard of some.  I recommend purchasing an extra test, especially if there's a good chance you'll be able to use it in the future if things go well.

[RichYak]

I won't test any other way. It's that convenient.

[CyberTag]

We purchased the test and used it in October.  No issues but be sure to follow the instructions.  There are YouTube videos showing you hope to do the test and I recommend watching beforehand.

[Jim_Iain]

We have done the monitored testes 4 times without a problem.   It may be a good idea to have a spare on hand just in case but I've never needed it and never got disconnected.  

 

Proctors are available 24 hours a day an 7 days a week.  Many are located in India, Philippians and Korea so sometime you may have a proctor that is a little difficult to understand.   They are good at working with you and making the process as easy as ordering on Amazon.

[DingoMom]

We have used this test x6 (each) without issue. (There were chickens in the background on one occasion, and barking dogs in a different one.) On two occasions, we have had a bit of a language issue (or DH had a hearing issue 🙂) but they have text available while you are on the video phone call. I would highly recommend with a couple of caveats:

1. We could not do this on our iPads (no clue as to why) but our iPhones worked perfectly;

2. I could not have done this by myself without DH…you have to film yourself opening the package, opening the test card, etc…if you are really good at selfies, you might be able to do this by yourself, but we could not;

3. I recommend ordering one extra test. My daughter ordered 5 tests for her family of 5. One of the test kits had NO liquid in the adjuvant bottle (that maybe the wrong word, but it is the dropper bottle you need for the test). Obviously a faulty test. She was able to combine her family’s other liquid to fill the empty bottle, but it was “touch and go” during the video potion of our grandson’s test. I would have rather had an extra test than go through that!!

 

[Northern Aurora]

We also have done these tests several times and had absolutely NO issues.  But I do agree that some of the proctors are easier to understand than others.  If someone is doing this for the first time it is helpful to watch an online video before starting the test process.

 

[Honolulu Blue]

6 hours ago, DingoMom said:

2. I could not have done this by myself without DH…you have to film yourself opening the package, opening the test card, etc…if you are really good at selfies, you might be able to do this by yourself, but we could not;

 

I do recommend using a laptop if you have one available.  There is a lot of moving around of the camera which is more easily done with a laptop than a cell phone or tablet.

 

I also recommend watching a few videos with people who have taken this test.  YouTube has dozens.  Here's one that specifically covers testing with a smartphone:

 

[Lovetotravel7559]

Also, allow enough time when you order your tests for a replacement if needed.  Mine arrived with the bottom tests wet including the cardboard box.  It was a little more difficult than it should have been to get them replaced as there was a glitch on the website and I had to email them using their form (no customer care or email that I could find).  All good now- but it took about a week to get replacements.  

[Beachin2]

I propped up my iPad on the dining room table centerpiece so that it had a clear view of us and the table in front of us.  Set it up using the rear facing feature on the camera before logging in to do the test.  No issues.

[lv2cruisgrl]

We have done them multiple times no issue. Results in 15 minutes!

[DCPIV]

I've done it several times, and I strongly prefer it over any other method. The whole process sounds more complex than it is, so it does help to watch one of the YouTube videos if you're concerned about that. 

 

I also advise using a laptop because of how easy it is to adjust the camera. Give yourself a good foot of room in front of the laptop to do your part of the test. 

 

The whole thing should take less than 30 minutes. You do not need to stick around for the 15 minute wait period (but you do need to return when it's done).

 

Happy sailing! 

[bjahil47]

I have this test to take Wednesday.  We sail on Friday.  From looking at the website they report the time UTC.  Is anywhere on the results stated the time in my time zone?

Bonnie

[RichYak]

2 minutes ago, bjahil47 said:

I have this test to take Wednesday.  We sail on Friday.  From looking at the website they report the time UTC.  Is anywhere on the results stated the time in my time zone?

Bonnie

UTC is better. It's 4 hours later than EDT.

[Luvcrusn]

It could not be any simpler, and yes, the monitors are available 24/7. We did ours at 1:30 AM and there was no problem getting a monitor. I don't think the wait was even 2 minutes. Here's a complete walk thru by Tony of La Vida Loca, a cruise vlogger.

 

[tymike]

Thank you all for this thread!

We sail in a week and have gotten the test kits and the app.

My question is....do we need to make an appointment with the company for a proctored test?  From everyone's exchanges above it seems not but I want to be sure.

 

We are actually going to test at CVS so we can print the results before we fly to Tampa, but are taking no chances and bringing the proctored test kits with us as we are flying in the day before.

 

Did anyone need an appointment with Abbot proctors or did you just log on?

 

Thanks so much!

[RichYak]

36 minutes ago, tymike said:

We are actually going to test at CVS so we can print the results before we fly to Tampa, but are taking no chances and bringing the proctored test kits with us as we are flying in the day before.

 

Did anyone need an appointment with Abbot proctors or did you just log on?

Just log on when you're ready to test, but if you will have already tested negative at CVS within 2 days of sailing, you won't even need to bring the binaxnow tests with you.

[tymike]

59 minutes ago, RichYak said:

Just log on when you're ready to test, but if you will have already tested negative at CVS within 2 days of sailing, you won't even need to bring the binaxnow tests with you.

Thank you so much for your reply.   I kind of thought that is what I would learn!

Yes....if we are negative with CVS I will 'de-pack' the other tests and be very grateful.  If we or one of us is positive well...that will be a sad story!

 

Thank you again!

[Jordanyaya1]

Anyone use an iPad rather than iPhone for the proctored test. I’m much more comfortable with the iPad. Thanks.

[mauimary]

We used a laptop for our tests last Nov. We will be traveling and taking tests with us to Europe this summer.  A laptop is definitely more than we want to carry so will have to rely on the iPad. Definitely take a look at some You Tube videos. Helps a lot to see where others have had some challenges as in opening the box. Helpful hit was to have some scissors to use. The seal can be difficult to slit. Need to do literally everything in view and you do not want to get flustered. 

[39august]

Can this test be done on an I pad? We do not own an I phone. My husband thinks we can't do this on his I pad.

[Luvcrusn]

51 minutes ago, 39august said:

Can this test be done on an I pad? We do not own an I phone. My husband thinks we can't do this on his I pad.

I did the test on my Samsung tablet and friends of our did theirs on the iPad. It's actually easier to do that way than on a computer because it's easier to position the camera.

Edited March 22, 2022 by Luvcrusn

[TFree]

On our land tour last fall, we did Abbott BinaxNow AG tests on our laptop.  We watched others doing them on phones (iPhones and Androids).  I personally found it easier on a laptop, and I would think a tablet would be easier than a phone, too.  A phone is too easy to tip over if you set it down, and depending on how much of a stickler the proctor is, that could be reason to declare the test invalid.  Theoretically everything has to be in view at all times.  I have not done one on a tablet, but others on this thread have.  So my recommendation would be use either a laptop or tablet if available.

 

Tom & Judy

[grouchomarx]

I did this test twice now.  First time I did it on my own and had some issues getting the proper views the proctor wanted with my iPad, but got it after a few tries. Second time I had help from my SO and he filmed me and that was so much easier so if you can get someone else to operate the phone/tablet it'll take the stress out of it. They want to see everything you're doing so it's an important aspect to get that right.  You also need to present your ID and it can be hard if you also have to operate the camera.

[ciera123]

Best place to buy these tests????